ZZ Top

Wednesday, July 27; the Family Arena (2002 Arena Parkway, St. Charles)

Take away the spinning guitars, the babes in bikinis, the dated synths and the cartoonish caricatures promulgated by its videos, and ZZ Top is basically still the same band from Texas that's had a considerable fan base in the St. Louis area since it was a '70s staple on KSHE. Guitarist Billy Gibbons continues to be a master of timbre and tone, drummer Frank Beard and bassist Dusty Hill remain a no-nonsense rhythm section, and the band's catalog of hook-laden, blues-rock hits -- from "La Grange" to "Gimme All Your Lovin'" -- is as memorable as ever. ZZ Top's days as MTV's least-likely video star may be long gone, but the band's cheerfully smutty electrified boogie stays as timeless, trashy and tasty as a cheap Tex-Mex combo platter washed down with a couple of cold cervezas.

Show starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are $37.50 to $47.50; call 636-896-4242 for more information.